Invalidity · first instance · 2021-04-28
000110542
Contested design: 003698273-0001
Outcome
The invalidity application is upheld, the contested RCD is declared invalid, and the holder must pay the applicant’s fixed costs of EUR 750.
Show verbatim operative text
1. The application for a declaration of invalidity is upheld. 2. Registered Community design No 0036982730001 is declared invalid. 3. The holder bears the applicant’s costs, fixed at EUR 750.
CostsHolder ordered to pay costs of €750
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
Glaxo Group Limitedvia PDF extraction
United Kingdom (GB)
980 Great West Road, Brentford, Middlesex TW8 9GS, United Kingdom
Represented by
Holder · RCD owner
Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd.via PDF extraction
China (CN)
No. 369 Yuzhou South Road Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province 222062, People’s Republic of China
Prior art cited (2)
prefilled multi-unit dose dry powder inhaler
registered Community design No 002678292-0001 · Office's designs database · disclosed 2015-04-23
design depicted in a refused EU trade mark application for an inhaler
EU trade mark application No 14 178 594 · EUIPO decision refusing the application · disclosed 2016-02-17
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The applicant argued that the inhaler RCD lacked individual character over Celon’s earlier RCD and a refused EU trade mark application published before the filing date.
- ›The holder said the shield and merlon ornamentation, grip details, and the functional context of multi-unit dry powder inhalers gave the contested design a different overall impression.
- ›The Division accepted disclosure of D1, found at least average designer freedom for dry powder inhalers, and held that the shared contours, casing structure, and components dominated minor differences.
- ›It concluded that the contested RCD lacked individual character under Article 25(1)(b) in conjunction with Articles 4(1) and 6, so the application was upheld and the RCD invalidated.
Deciding panel
- MemberLudmila CELISOVA
- MemberElisabetta FERRARO
- MemberNatascha GALPERIN
Decision files
| Language | Type | Source link |
|---|---|---|
| esespañol (es) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| frfrançais (fr) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| ititaliano (it) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| enEnglish | original | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
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